Director/Writer: Aditya Dhar
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, Rakesh Bedi
Duration: 196 Minutes
Rating: 4
Right off the bat, Dhurandhar is a bold, thrilling and absolutely stunning. Writer and director Aditya Dhar creates a never before seen spy thriller that is powerful, grounded and stylish. Packed with Indian emotions but with a worldwide appeal, this is the kind of theatrical thunder that only happens once in a lifetime and that shocks you, moves you, and is still with you after a long time.
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Taking inspiration from dark times of our country, such as IC-814 hijack, 2001 attack on Parliament, Mumbai attack, and sets up the story without even a moment of the pause. Madhavan as Ajay Sanyal, the Head of the Intelligence Bureau, wants to hit back at Pakistan, especially these terror groups, he crafts a clandestine yet long-term infiltration in terror group and destroy them from within, he wants India to hit back and take the fight to neighbours training grounds. His sharp dialogues, intense performance establishes the atmosphere which keeps the viewer engrossed.
Madhavan place all his bets on Hamza, played by Ranveer Singh, a man with disturbing past, he got nothing to lose, and he is one mean killing machine but calculated and controlled. The actor delivers a raw, appealing and remarkable portrayal. This is his best performance so far, as Hamza he is explosive, gritty, but never predictable. He is not playing a role, he becomes the character from one act to another in a very short span, he rules the screen with his stare, silence, intensity, and action avatar, he is the soul of this thrilling spy saga.
The supporting actors are at their best too. Akshaye Khanna’s Rehman Dakait is a frightful character- an extremely creative one, smart, hellishly evil, and intriguing in an almost mesmerizing way. Sanjay Dutt’s SP Aslam “The Jinn” is a raw energy-source of power that just gains force by every time he appears on the screen. Arjun Rampal’s Major Iqbal has the effect of a quiet threatening force while new face, Sara Arjun impresses with a confident, flawless approach to her debut. The actors commit fully which results in a dangerously engrossing and breathing world where every character is alive and vibrant.
The makers also used authentic archival footage, Parliamentary visuals, and spine tingling 26/11 audio intercepts is one of the most potent moment of the film, which is just soul moving and nerve-wracking. Listening to the real recordings of terrorists giving and receiving the procession of the attack is quite unsettling, infuriating, and disturbingly real at the same time, thus invoking the feeling of patriotism but at no time being overly nationalistic.
The filmmakers manage to maintain an energetic pace throughout the film despite its 196-minute length. Dhar’s control over narrative is like iron—every instant has it’s own importance, goal, and momentum. The music of the movie is worth a million praises: a different, very energetic and rhythmic BGM, which does not let the narrative slacken for even a single moment. Not a moment in the movie is uninteresting, and the soundtrack-which by the way is already being referred to as the album of the year- is turning the major reveals and confrontations into cinematic thunderbolts.
The violence is rationally imposed and carries purpose. There are only a few scenes shown in graphic detail, and each of them is supported by the storyline. The impact of the first part comes from a rich emotional texture, intricate political situation, and very tense character developments. The first half of the film sets up a complicated world and the interval point delivers an experience which can be described as pure goosebumps. Aftercoming the break, the power struggles escalate, the conspiracies become more complex, and Hamza advances in the mafia as a result of cunning, treachery and calculated alliances– all leading to a perfect setup for the detonating Part Two arriving Eid 2026.
With the support of B62 Studios and Jio Studios, the film is produced on a grand but real scale by Jyoti Deshpande, Lokesh Dhar, and Aditya Dhar. Their ambition, dedication to big-screen storytelling, and daringness of vision are very evident through the gigantic sets, brave narrative moves, and the unflinching nature of the action sequences. This is Indian cinema at its best and most polished, meeting international standards while not compromising on its cultural heartbeat.
Dhurandhar is a brilliant, mind-boggling triumph-a masterly thriller which mixing the elements of intensity, emotion, scale and great finds of the cast of the movie. With Dhar giving his best direction, and Ranveer Singh shining as he never did before, the film is like a skyscraper in the field of the cinema, one of the boldest and most exhilarating events of the year. The last scene of the movie, which heralds Part Two, makes it very evident that there is only one thing clear – the war has just begun and the buzz is at a sky-high level.
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